Precision traffic indication

• US 9,697,731 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bradley, Corrine, Jackson, Kyle, McCuiston, Mitchell, Giurgiu, Gavril, Stenneth, Leon Oliver, Fowe, James Adeyemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US14/159,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20150206426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination

Abstract

Precision traffic flow indication may involve receiving device data over a period of time representing a plurality traffic flow readings associated with a road involving a plurality of subsections. Calculating traffic flows and determining road subsections having similar traffic flows may also be involved. Also, indicating a different traffic flow level for a first subsection and a second subsection of road may be involved.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving mobile device data over a period of time from a plurality of mobile devices associated with a length of road comprising a plurality of subsections of road;

calculating, by at least one processor, from the mobile device data, a number of mobile device readings per subsection of the length of road and a difference between traffic flow of a first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road;

determining whether the number of mobile device readings for the first subsection is above a probe quantity threshold;

determining whether the number of mobile device readings for the second subsection is above the probe quantity threshold;

determining whether the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road is above a variance threshold;

in response to the number of mobile device readings for the first subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, the number of mobile device readings for the second subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, indicating a different traffic flow level for the first subsection of the length of road than the second subsection of the length of road; and

in response to the number of mobile device readings for the first subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, the number of mobile device readings for the second subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, merging the first subsection and the second subsection into composite section, wherein subsequent traffic determinations are calculated for the composite section rather than the first subsection and the second subsection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the length of road is a Traffic Message Channel (“

TMC”

) established length of a road for reporting traffic levels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein traffic flow levels are indicated using a plateaued threshold reporting scheme involving the use of graphics for characterizations of traffic flow, and indicating the different traffic flow level comprises using different graphics for the first subsection and the second subsection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein traffic flow is calculated using the following equation:

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a traffic flow difference significance between the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road from a number of speed values determined using the mobile device data, and indicating the different traffic flow level when the number of mobile device readings per subsection is above the probe quantity threshold, the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road is above the variance threshold, and the traffic flow difference significance is above a significance threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the traffic flow difference significance is calculated using the following equation:

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other subsection of the plurality of subsections is a subsection having a length less than a length threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other subsection is merged into the at least one composite subsection when a difference between traffic flow of the first or the second subsection of the length of road and the at least one other subsection is below the variance threshold.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed on a computer are operable to:

receive mobile device data over a period of time from a plurality of mobile devices associated with a length of road comprising a plurality of subsections of road;

calculate, from the mobile device data, a number of mobile device readings per subsection of the length of road and a difference between traffic flow of a first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road; and

indicate a different traffic flow level for the first subsection of the length of road than the second subsection of the length of road when the number of mobile device readings per subsection is above a probe quantity threshold and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road is above a variance threshold;

in response to the number of mobile device readings per subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, merge the first subsection and the second subsection into a composite section, wherein subsequent traffic determinations are calculated for the composite section rather than the first subsection and the second subsection.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the length of road is a Traffic Message Channel (“

TMC”

) established length of a road for reporting traffic levels.

11. The medium of claim 9, wherein traffic flow levels are indicated using a plateaued threshold reporting scheme involving the use of color for characterizations of traffic flow, and indicating the different traffic flow level comprises using a different color for the first subsection and the second subsection.

12. The medium of claim 9, wherein traffic flow is calculated using the following equation:

13. The medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions when executed on a computer are further operable to calculate a traffic flow difference significance between the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road from a number of speed values determined using the mobile device data, and indicating the different traffic flow level when the number of mobile device readings per subsection is above the probe quantity threshold, the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road is above the variance threshold, and the traffic flow difference significance is above a significance threshold.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein traffic flow difference significance is calculated using the following equation:

15. The medium of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first subsection and the second subsection is a composite subsection comprising at least one other subsection of the plurality of subsections.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one other subsection of the plurality of subsections is a subsection having a length less than a length threshold.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one other subsection was merged into the at least one composite subsection when a difference between traffic flow of the first or the second subsection of the length of road and the at least one other subsection is below the variance threshold.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

receive device data over a period of time representing a plurality traffic flow readings associated with a length of road comprising a plurality of subsections of road;

calculate from the device data, a number of readings per subsection of the length of road and a difference between traffic flow of a first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road; and

indicate a different traffic flow level for the first subsection of the length of road than the second subsection of the length of road when the number of readings per subsection is above a probe quantity threshold and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road is above a variance threshold;

in response to the number of mobile device readings per subsection being above the probe threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, merge the first subsection and the second subsection into a composite section, wherein subsequent traffic determinations are calculated for the composite section rather than the first subsection and the second subsection.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the device data comprises data provided by at least one mobile device and at least one static device.